Where To Get
Casting Breakdowns For Actors

The Business Of Casting Breakdowns
by Thom Goff of Breakdown Services, Ltd.
New York

Thom Goff is a former actor and manager of his own theatre company. He began working for Breakdown Services, Ltd in 1989 and later took over as head of the NY office. Today Thom is the Director of Breakdown Services, Ltd New York.

I asked Thom some questions about casting breakdowns and the company he works for, Breakdown Services Ltd. and the services that it offers to actors, casting directors and agents alike. His answers are summarized in the following article.

So What is Breakdown Services?

Breakdown Services was started up by Gary Marsh to provide talent agents and managers with standardized character descriptions for projects that were being cast. It started in LA then came to NY in the late 1970’s. We are the only company that breaks down scripts (casting breakdowns) for the casting directors so that they actually have a comprehensive listing of what they’ll be casting for film and television; thus the name Breakdown Services, Ltd.

That’s the agent side, but due to the online revolution, we now have an online version called Breakdown Express.

The side of Breakdown Express (www.breakdownservices.com) that works for actors is called Actors Access (www.actorsaccess.com), which enables actors to go in, create an account online and actually look at the breakdowns placed there by casting directors looking for actor submissions, so they can submit themselves directly for projects.

Actors Access and Breakdown Services go hand in hand. If you have a representative working with you, they are attached to your account so that your profile, picture and résumé all overlap. So if you change pictures in your account, you can also assign them to your representative so that they can use them also when submitting you for projects. If you update your résumé in Actors Access, it will automatically update for your representative. And if you add something new to your profile, that will update for your them as well. And that's what you would want as an actor, because then your agent won’t have to constantly call and ask for résumés and materials from you. You can do all this from your home and keep them updated.

Showfax (www.showfax.com was started by a separate company that we bought some years ago. Showfax would actually fax actors sides for their auditions. Casting directors would send the sides to Showfax employees, who would then fax them to actors that requested them. As did everything else, that also evolved into an online service as we took over the company. Now everything is done in pdf form so that sides can be downloaded.

Showfax is the part of the company that works for the actors. Actors can join for $68 per year. They have unlimited access to, not only the casting breakdowns, but also to the sides, and then anything they submit for on Actors Access is free with that subscription.

The agents then have their side of it, which is called Sides Express (www.sidesexpress.com). The agents are able to go in and download sides as well. So if you want to get your sides from your agent, he/she can go in and download the them and send them as a pdf file to you that you can print out at home from your computer.

And lastly, there is Extras Access (www.extesaccess.com) where casting directors that cast for extras in television and film will post for the types of talent they are looking for. Actors can go and find those projects and submit for them too.

If you’re just starting out in the business, I think it’s good to do extra work even if it doesn’t pay a lot of money. It will get you on some kind of a set. If you can get on a movie set, whether it’s a student film or whatever, you can actually see how the shots are set up and see how movies are made and what is expected of actors while they work. The more comfortable you are on those sets, the better off you are in the long run.

For more information about casting breakdowns and Breakdown Services Ltd. here.

And check out this link to actually see the casting breakdowns for roles that you might be right for.

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Hi Tony
I would like to thank you for helping me with the monologue question I asked in October 2007. I went to the auditions for a Drama course and I am happy to say that I have been accepted as a first-year student at the Tshwane University of Technology. Please keep on sending me those newsletters and let me know where I can find books that will help me in my acting career. Thank you once more. Have a blessed day.
Sincerely
Edward Thaba -South Africa

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Hi,
I was wondering if there is anything established like actingstartup.com in the U.K. because you are amazing and I have learned loads...
Thank You.
Nadine., Newcastle, UK

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Dear Anthony,
Just wanted to thank you for bringing me in to [audition for the video], meet you and chat this Saturday. I was really excited to hear about your working on actingcareerstartup.com and even took a look at it today - it's awesome! You are very well-spoken, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and it shows through the work that you do! I hope our paths in the industry will cross again and really enjoyed meeting you. Thanks, again and best wishes with your very important work!
Warmly,
Gretchen, NY, NY

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Hey Tony, thanks for the info, yours by far is the most useful, I am 30 years old, and I myself always (secretly) wanted to be an actress, but I never knew where to begin, so thank you. You have given me hope!
Ana C., Tampa, FL

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You answered a question for me about two weeks ago about how to write my cover letters…I want you to know your advice was helpful. I got called in for a part as an extra in my first movie! It’s not big, but it’s my first one! Thanks for your help!
John, San Diego, CA